Joseph Weber
HST 498
Barnes
Research Paper
Africans in Europe has changed many lives in early time due to the slave trade. Explorers saw themselves as entrepreneurs who were set out to find the new beginning. Not knowing what to expect, Africans came into Europe with the new idea of change. Changes were happening as the slave trade took a hold of the entire world. Britain had the ports to help receive trade but there is more to the African. In this paper, the view of having British settlers in Africa became a part of society. The status of the Africans during the eighteenth to nineteenth century became a new beginning for Great Britain.
During the years of the slave trade it was set to believe that the greatest success came from long distance trading. The only issue was the lack of European labor force. Having a sensible monopoly for its countries, Britain, would need a balance of benefit towards them, slavery, and it’s shipping[1]. This wouldn’t have been easy if it weren’t for other countries getting involved in the slave trade. France and others had its ports but shared equal business plans for those inland. Countries without access to the ocean had to create trade and transportation deals to buy and own slaves. This would create international network and production throughout all of Europe[2].
It wasn’t always good for Britain during these progressive times. Having the American War come to an end, the British lost a great deal of its colonies. Therefore, having to deal with a loss of trade and international production along the way. This would bring a great deal of headache and issues with colliding with other countries once Britain builds itself up. After the war, Britain was at an all time low as other countries such as France become stronger. What were beneficial for Britain were its ports. No other power had great success without its ports. Britain would need a change to help them not collide with other great countries. Therefore, the look onward towards West Africa came into effect.
West Africa became a center fit for Britain. Guinea was an area pursued graciously by the British. The supply of slaves was still very much in high numbers even though the Portuguese were along side making trades with Brazil. Africans would soon take notice in patterns and start making their way towards the interior part of the continent of Africa. Although there were still enough slaves to make a profit with, there became more and more travelers from other countries making its way to Guinea. The finding and trading of slaves was not the only thing happening in West Africa. Reporters and those trying to gain some knowledge of the new land during its enlightenment period became heavenly influenced[3].
There would be two ways for the organizing the data back and forth between the mother land of Great Britain and West Africa. The British government would send out young researchers with certain areas to address and gain knowledge from. What was set out to believe during the period of 1880-1900 was there never has been so much military action and invasions taking place along the coasts of West Africa[4]. This would then lead to treaty deals and ways around the endangerment of Africans. Secondly, send out researchers to embark on the way Africans lived their lives everyday. Soon will realize that their lifestyle is very similar to ours. In West Africa they manage their ports and trade amongst one another. It would get to the point when explorers and other travelers from Europe would get ripped off and vise versa.
The only issue with trade within Africa had to do with the military stand point of trade. Having the Africans gain access towards firearms and other weapons just escaladed the method of easier killing. Guns weren’t the only West African issue amongst British travelers and investigators. The open spread of diseases came into a huge disadvantage. Some products would not fit the environments it’s accessed to; therefore lead to death and illness between Africans and British visitors. Disrupting the way of life was leading towards one thing to another but without question there was no competition in fighting between Europeans and Africans but there would later become a sense of life in Britain.
From a military standpoint, the British had its struggles along the Gold Coast of Asante. Asante was an area in the middle of nowhere West Africa with Africans who were fed up by the taking. During 1824, the Asante defeated the British forces and its commander which gives the proof that Africans are willing to not stand by while the white man do whatever he pleases. The British would avenge for the commander death, and would succeed. Under the command of General Garnet Wolseley, the British took their most advanced weaponry to push back the Asante[5]. The Asante would lose very badly to the result of no resolution. Due to the outcome of the 1874 war, there would be no hope for the Asante to regain its controlled independence. This could have been the worst decision to go into war but who can blame the Asante? Fighting to strop the invaders from coming into their territory is just a well-known kind of event.
Aside from the Asante, the British abolitionists tried to set up a colony for freed slaves in Sierra Leone[6]. This was important for the British to overcome because it led towards wars to annex Dutch settlers. In past history of this time, the Dutch had the most advanced technology and faster transportation. They were the business part of Europe, but when it came to military action it would not get them very far. The British had the opportunity to take command and push other settlers in a direction of non-interest towards them. Having called “aliens” of Africa the British had dominant cultural superiority over its subjects (people)[7]. Others would try and resist the command of the dominant race and would allow stricter security. There was no advantage towards the Africans in this manor but by the number and technology of the British it was no match. Secured trading became to some benefit but miss-communication was the bigger issue. Translators would be treated a lot better than any other African, therefore would bring the miss-communication to a better trade and rightful meaning.
General goods such as gold and diamonds became another centerpiece for travelers. Africa’s only positive product gain would include exporting and international trade. Having certain areas be above and below the equator developed materials to be much more convenient and needed for civilians in Great Britain. Having heavy rainfall and different climates in Africa became a hard place for alienated travelers. Discovery and trade became a lifestyle for those and missions to bring back a product, which had never been herd of back to the mother land of Great Britain. African society was in a cycle of change for the better because soon there will be enough products to go around to the point farmers and merchants within Africa will be able to build their own empire and create a colony for themselves.
Making the legitimate trade became a huge interest towards the land of Great Britain in the late 18th century. The price of sugar was becoming overproduction, therefore leading towards a decline of interest to some extent. Also plantation owners would need to expand the need for materials within Africa such as clothing, pottery, and other metal goods to help produce their growing quantity needs[8]. This gave the market a new meaning towards cheaper and more progressive produced goods. Having the British government put their foot down for the stop to end the trade among slaves in 1807 started to become a trend.
Inland part of African trade became a secret of trade. Finding routs to take from the coastal part of Africa into the depth of valuable research was still out to be discovered and recorded. Taking commercial routs into the interior became a secret and struggle unless there would be a way around it[9]. Turns out that the translators would need to have a great sense of direction to help benefit the travelers save time and money. Having slaves during this time came of benefit, finding more away from the coast there was a sense of greater numbers and new discoveries. This would then lead to newer languages and way of life. Having the chance of getting lost if directed elsewhere can lead to disease and death. Further and further inland there would be a towns and villages and find goods of great demand[10]. From a geographic standpoint, it had of been from the Northeastern part of the African continent. The most populated standpoints had to lead no more than two hundred miles away from the coast. It has seemed as though the main secret behind all of this was it wouldn’t take much traveling inward to find new discoveries because having the coast is of much benefit and need.
A “true church” was in religious interest in the part of Western Sudan. Within most parts of this area became know for the founders of many ways to live under the name God. Within the interior part of Africa, who and what to believe would corrupt the people. The possible unique way of putting themselves in the warship of God was the amount of churches set up throughout the Western Sudan area. The Noahtical, Israelite, and Christian Church were undergoing as the way of view of how to live life and what to believe and not believe[11]. Corruption was the most to worry about for Britain and other European countries. The best way to find themselves make their way inland was to asset themselves from the side which had all of the churches. It is believed to be a safer rout and can learn more about Africa along the way as well as its people who live in its specific area.
By 1807, it became unlawful for British to become involved in trade of slaves. As Britain controlled most of the Western African ports, they influenced other countries such as most of the Europeans and Americans[12]. This would take fifteen to twenty years to finally come to a stop. With the help of Christianity, it became a strong force to not continue with forcing trade along West Africa. Soon after the 1840’s major exports such as vegetable products, peanuts and other major products came in substitution as slaves[13]. This would then have benefit the Africans to create a living for them after the slave trade.
The British African company was a system of petitions to help control the money aspect of Africans amongst the southern art of the continent. British missionaries would discover cash huts and labor recruitment monopolies to help benefit those working in the gold and diamond mines[14]. Great Britain only wanted what was best as a global standpoint. As Africans maintain a steady and well-developed labor force it was only for the better to have Africans stay in Africa to work. No one will know the land better than those living amongst its descendants. Therefore would lead to happier investments and workers by having the work come to them instead of unknown lands.
As it may seem to great and positive change for Europeans, there were fears still lurking after the slave trade. The fear of Christianity creating such a dynamic impact on ethnic groups of enslaved Africans. The encouragement it may bring towards Africans to give them rights to become an equal and become one with the community. Having such diverse backgrounds the way of trade and life within Africa and even Great Britain became a struggle to get along. At first, the loss of the slave trade for most countries was a hard adjustment but the new products found along the inner and coastal part of Africa became a new way of life.
Before bringing slaves into the realm of England there were already African descendants from the American War. Even though they were sailors and missionaries the blacks were not to be trusted. Having education be a small factor there was still some schooling happening. It has seemed as though, ever since the slave trade has been a factor in everyday life for Britain and Africa the culture would quickly shift amongst the life in Africa to create new learning’s and way of life. [1] Philip D. Curtin, Image of Africa: British Ideas and Action, 1780-1850 (Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin Press, 1973), 4.
[2] Pp. 5
[3] Pp. 14
[4] A. Adu. Boahen, Africa under colonial domination 1880-1935 (London: Heinemann, 1985), 114.
[5] Pp 131
[6] Robin Hallett, Africa to 1875 (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan, 1970), 50.
[7] Pp 270.
[8] April A., Donald L. Gordon, Understanding contemporary Africa (Boulder: L Rienner Publishers, 1996), 41.
[9] Curtin, Pp 18.
[10] Curtin, Pp 20.
[11] Curtin Pp 26.
[12] Hallett Pp 186.
[13] Christopher L. Brown Christianity and the campaign against slavery and the slave trade (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008), 523.
[14] Gordon Pp. 238.
